Cornwall, U.K. 1984. Part of hyponotum covering the girdle ventrally, magnified X190 by scanning electron microscope. Specimen RMNH.MOL.HLS.1197 coll. Naturalis, Leiden, Netherlands. Image provided by J. D. Sigwart.
Scale line 0.1mm. Frame width 0.66mm.

The girdle is tough thick tissue that surrounds the valves of chitons. In Acanthochitona crinita the ventral aspect of the girdle is covered with slender, conical, outwardly directed, overlapping, scale-like spicules (1). The peripheral margin has dense, larger spicules (2).
Bristles and spines appear not to grow as fast as general body size as they often look relatively small on large specimens, and much longer relatively on small young specimens.

KEY ID FEATURES and similar species at: 01 Acanthochitona crinita